Back
Seriously! Mud, grass clippings, possum poo, wee and even dead animals. Yes, it’s a roll-call of all the smelly stuff dogs love to roll in straight after you’ve given them a bath. So what gives?!!
Well, there’s a fascinating reason behind WHY they do it that might have you looking at them VERY differently!
P.S. It’s also kind of cute. Kind of.
Just hold the despair over a dog that’s now dirtier and smellier than they were before the bath…for just a second. And also give them credit for having a flawless memory for where they can find the grossest stuff the moment they need it…
Here’s why they do it.
That gag-worthy stuff is actually the ultimate camouflage kit. It covers them in an earthy organic scent that makes them smell like the rest of the world around them. And that’s exactly how they like it…
Let me explain. Our furry family members might look like modern day dogs. And they are. But their genes are still 98% wolf. And so a large part of their mind still works the same way. So if we’ve recently bathed them in strongly scented shampoo or sprayed perfumes or pungent colognes on them, it instantly goes against their instinctive need to just blend in and be themselves.
This stress from strongly perfumed shampoos is why dogs desperately try to roll in ALL the gross stuff after a bath. They have to hide that pungent smell.
Dogs don’t want to smell like people…or a perfume counter. Because doing so makes their all important social interactions, herding and even hunting instincts nearly impossible.
And so when they’re feeling stressed and exposed, they’ll do anything to mask their human smell. The most effective mask just happens to be mud…or the manky stuff. And so they indulge. And how!
Ultimately, the greatest gift you can give your bestie is to let them smell fresh and clean but not like cologne. Otherwise, the draw of the mud and the mayhem will be simply too much.
P.S. This is exactly why I’ve made my range of washes either completely unscented or lightly scented with natural (and calming) lavender. They’ll keep them clean on the outside and calm on the inside…
